Faculty:
Michael L. Vinson

Michael L. Vinson, JD, LLM

Learn more about Michael Vinson
Michael Vinson has been an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University since 1987.
He was a full-time professor and the Director of the International Tax Certificate
Program from 2005 until his retirement in 2017. While a full-time professor, he was
chair of the Faculty Senate and a winner of the School Service Award as voted by the
faculty. He is also an adjunct professor at the Golden Gate University Law School,
a Visiting Professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, and teaches
for CalCPA.
Prior to joining the full-time faculty, Michael held several corporate tax positions,
including Vice President of Tax at Hyperion Solutions Corporation, Director of Tax
at Altera Corporation, and Tax Counsel at Apple Computer, Inc. He has been on the
cutting edge in the development and application of alternate dispute resolution techniques
to tax controversies. He previously served eight years as Deputy County Counsel for
San Mateo County, where he obtained substantial trial and appellate litigation experience.
Vinson holds a BA in Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook,
a JD from University of California, Hastings College of the Law (graduating Order
of the Coif), and a LLM in Taxation from New York University School of Law. He is
married (to a lawyer), has four children (three of whom are lawyers), and four grandchildren
(one of whom he hopes will become a doctor).